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Frequency-shifting micro-mechanical optical modulator

Inactive Publication Date: 2011-02-22
REYNOLDS MERITT
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

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Problems solved by technology

Therefore, these methods are unsuitable for modulating frequency shift with a high bandwidth.
The artificial crystals required for such modulators makes them too expensive for some applications.

Method used

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  • Frequency-shifting micro-mechanical optical modulator
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  • Frequency-shifting micro-mechanical optical modulator

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example embodiment

[0181]In some embodiments, elements comprise reflective tensioned ribbons as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,360 which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Such elements can be made to have high resonant frequencies. This facilitates allowing the modulator to provide a large frequency shift and good bandwidth. Furthermore, the damping of the motion can be chosen by design to correspond to an oscillator that is under-damped, critically damped, or over-damped as described in Payne et al. Enabling high data-rate imaging applications with grating light valve technology in Haken Urey and David L. Dickensheets editors MOEMS Display and Imaging Systems II, vol. 4348 of Proceedings of the SPIE pp. 76-88, 2004 which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

[0182]Tensioned ribbons may be made of Si3N4 and SiO2 films and formed by a lithographic process. The surface of the ribbon is typically coated with a metallic film to make the ribbon reflective to light. The ribbons are typicall...

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Abstract

An apparatus for shifting the frequency of light comprises a modulator comprising one or more light-reflective elements. The elements are arranged in N groups that are interleaved along the surface of the modulator. The elements are deflected in time in a periodic sawtooth or sinusoidal N-phase manner. The frequency shift can be varied continuously and quickly. Such a modulator may be operated at zero frequency shift, to produce an optical phase shift.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. patent application No. 61 / 027,411 filed on 8 Feb. 2008 and entitled FREQUENCY-SHIFTING MICRO-MECHANICAL OPTICAL MODULATOR under 35 U.S.C. §119, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The invention relates to the field of optics. The invention relates particularly to frequency-shifting optical modulators.BACKGROUND[0003]In a wide range of applications in communications, metrology and science, it is valuable to shift the frequency (and hence wavelength) of a beam of light. Example applications of frequency shifting include:[0004]heterodyne detection schemes as used, for example, in Doppler velocimetry.[0005]encoding information into a light beam through frequency modulation or frequency-shift keying.[0006]phase shifting.[0007]tuning the interaction of light with matter.[0008]producing moving interference patterns for use, for example, in frequency-shifting methods.[0009]etc...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): G02B26/00
CPCG02B26/002
Inventor REYNOLDS, MERITT
Owner REYNOLDS MERITT